Vigil held to bring attention to unsolved murder of Missouri girl

More than 100 people turned out over the weekend to attend a candlelight vigil in honor of a St. Ann girl who was kidnapped and murdered 25 years ago.

Vigil display for Angie Housman

The event was organized by Angie’s Angel’s, a group of mothers who are on a mission to bring renewed attention to the unsolved murder of the 9-year-old Angie Housman. Family, friends, law enforcement, and community members gathered Saturday night outside of Buder Elementary, where the eastern Missouri girl was a fourth grader back in 1993.

Trisha Trout of Angie’s Angels has been doing her own detective work on the case. During the vigil, Trout had a stern warning to whomever is responsible for Angie’s murder.

“Do not think you have gotten away with anything, because you have not. We will find you and we will bring you to justice,” said Trout.

The efforts of Trout and the other mothers, Amy Bittner, and Debbie Klingler, Diane Schulte, seem to be working. Investigators have confirmed that DNA evidence is now being tested with a company in Virginia.

“The DNA testing has come so far and they’re solving so many cases with DNA.” said St. Ann Police Chief Aaron Jimenez.

Diane Schulte,Trisha Trout, Debbie Klingler and Amy Bittner at vigil

Jimenez said the results could be available in two months at the earliest.

Bob Schrader, who was the St. Ann Police Chief at the time of Angie’s kidnapping and murder, says he’s hopeful this case will be solved.

“Maybe the DNA that’s been sent off to the company, that’s probably one of the leading companies on extracting DNA in the United States, maybe we can finally put closure to this,” he said. “I’ve been retired for 5 ½ years, and I can tell you, I want this case closed before I die.”

Angie disappeared after getting off her school bus on November 18, 1993. Nine days later, deer hunters found her partially nude body bound to a tree in the Busch Wildlife area in St. Charles County.

The St. Charles County Police Department, which now leads the investigation, is asking anyone with information about the case to call its Crime Tip Line at 636-949-3002.